The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, arraigned a former Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, and a surveyor from the Department of Highways and Planning, Sulaiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja.
The defendants were charged with a three-count indictment relating to the alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds amounting to ₦1,936,961,649.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira). The funds were reportedly allocated for the acquisition of titles for federal roads nationwide between March 4, 2019, and July 17, 2020, but were allegedly converted for personal use. The charges are pursuant to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, while serving as Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Project Coordinator for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads, and you, Suleiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, while serving as Surveyor at the Department of Highways and Planning, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, between March 4, 2019, and October 21, 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used your office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by diverting the sum of Eight Hundred and Seven Million, Fifty-Three Thousand Naira (₦807,053,000.00) allocated for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads Nationwide, thereby committing an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility. However, defense counsels J.K. Kolawole and A.S.U. Garba applied for a short adjournment to allow them to file bail applications and requested that the defendants be held in EFCC custody pending the hearing.
Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the matter until April 3, 2025, for the hearing of the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre.
Separate Charges Against Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan
In a related matter, the EFCC also arraigned Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan on a separate three-count charge before the same judge for allegedly diverting public funds totaling ₦439,502,200.00 (Four Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) for personal use.
One of the charges states: “That you, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, while serving as Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Project Coordinator for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads, and in such capacity entrusted with public funds, between March 27, 2019, and December 17, 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, transferred the sum of Three Hundred and One Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Four Thousand, Two Hundred Naira (₦301,994,200.00) to Chile Ushahemba (a staff of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing) and personally received cash payments totaling Nineteen Million, One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira (₦19,140,000.00), which you converted for personal use, thereby committing a criminal breach of trust contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case to April 3, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application.
